


Spaces

by sheafrotherdon



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Episode Tag, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-09-08
Updated: 2006-09-08
Packaged: 2017-10-11 23:31:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/118364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sheafrotherdon/pseuds/sheafrotherdon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John finds him in the mess, face illuminated by his laptop, brow furrowed in concentration as his fingers fly over the keys.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Spaces

John finds him in the mess, face illuminated by his laptop, brow furrowed in concentration as his fingers fly over the keys.

"Hey, buddy."

Rodney looks up. "Oh." He blinks. "Hey."

"Whatcha doin'?"

"I – uh . . ." Rodney looks back at the screen. "Well, it, uh - ends up I have a lot to say. Who'd've thought, you know? After saying nothing for –" He shakes his head, as if to dislodge that train of thought. "Anyway. She's on the Daedulus now and it's trickier to send a data stream if we're dependent on – well you understand, so I just thought I'd start writing now and then I can send it just as soon as we . . . when - "

John sticks his hands in his pockets. "It's 4am."

"We'll you're up," Rodney says defensively.

"Yeah, well – only 'cause I figured you were brooding and someone better find you."

"I don't brood."

John raises an eyebrow.

"Well. Perhaps." Rodney tilts his chin. "But only when I have extremely good cause."

"I'd say Jeannie going home is good cause."

Rodney looks pained for just a second, swallows, and closes the laptop. "I suppose – " he gestures " – it's not a completely idiotic idea. To sleep."

"Not completely," John agrees amiably. "C'mon. I'll walk with you."

"Okay." Rodney stands, obedient with fatigue - gathers his laptop under his arm and falls into step beside John as they head back toward the residential quarters. He holds his silence through almost every corridor and hall. "It's just – "

"Hmmm?"

"I didn't think about it. Much. When we didn't talk."

"Okay."

"Now it's – " He pauses as they reach his door, looks away, struggling for words. "Now there's a space where there wasn't one."

John waves a hand over the door release, takes the laptop from under Rodney's arm and cups his elbow, guiding him inside. "You'll see her again."

"That's just it." Rodney sits on the end of the bed, looking at him with a gaze that's almost pleading. He waits as if expecting John to have some wisdom that can fix this, and when he offers nothing, shakes his head and begins to unfasten his boots. "I don't know that," he mumbles. " _We_ don't know that."

John chews on his lip for a second. "How'd you leave things?"

"Good?" Rodney looks up at him. "Good, I think. She's happy. That's important."

"Yeah."

Rodney nods, tugging off his boots, and stares at his feet. "Only there's still a space," he murmurs at last.

John sits down beside him. "Yeah." He doesn't say a word when Rodney leans against him just a little. "I know, buddy." He sets a hand at the back of Rodney's neck, squeezes for a second. "I know."


End file.
